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By Caitlyn Boza
Correspondent

POSTED:April 19, 2010 9:48 a.m.

Photo by Caitlyn Boza/

Students Against Destructive Decisions members of Richmond Hill High School stand Thursday with principal Charles Spann following a staged car accident. This year's mock wreck was an effort to discourage texting while driving.

Richmond Hill High School students held their annual “Mock Wreck,” an event where students replicate the horror of a teen driving accident, on Thursday at the school. The wreck was organized by the school’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter, with assistance from the local police, fire and EMS departments. This year’s reenactment focused on the dangers of texting and driving. “More teenagers text and drive than drink and drive, so we felt that it was an important message to send,” said student organizer Jack Jenkins. The demonstration follows closely on the heels of the passage of a legislative bill that would ban texting while driving. If signed into law, the bill could come into effect as early as July. Using sugar-water and red food coloring to simulate blood, the students transformed themselves into the victims of a fatal wreck. “This is the story we’re trying to tell, and it’s based on a real-life accident,” said faculty organizer, Bill Collins. “The driver of the first car was texting, and she blew through an intersection, hitting a pedestrian and another car. Her mistake resulted in the death of three people. Texting and driving can be deadly.”Juniors and seniors looked on silently as their fellow students were removed from the mangled cars. Firefighters pried open the doors and shattered the windows. The “deceased” students were covered with white sheets, and the injured were placed on gurneys and rushed to the waiting ambulances. Brandi Schaffer played the texting driver. “I think it went so well, definitely better than last year," she said. "I really hope that we got our message across. One text has the power to send you to jail for years. It’s huge."